After 69 days of “sharing the road” with Etienne, we separated. It was a long time together like a long time married couple.

From now on I have to “socialize” with the people by my own. Not that I have to be always nice like Etienne. I still don’t care, but I have to talk. Sometimes it’s annoying to tell always the same story to an American trucker. Also I have to organize all the Warmshower or Couchsurfing stuff. I was traveling with a very good tour guide – I see it now. But thanks to Etienne, he joined me to all these communities. By the way: he can cook! His crepes are delicious! So he was the man for the CS/WS hosts when we did dinner. As a kitchen slave like me its now difficult to come around… maybe I can have his secret receipt about making these crepes.

To take pictures of me now takes also a long time. You setup the tripod, jump to your position and smile like it is a “real” snapshot, puh! Hard work on the road with mostly bad result. I will have no more great videos of me and the trip – or I’ll buy a “§$%&$” computer with all this “%$§”ing software and spend hours (or days) in front of the computer, like I did before at my former job. So what? No way…

Yes, I had a great time with this French Canadian. I learned a lot about Canada. That they maybe not have a wall, like Germany had between East and West, but it looks like there is a mentality one also in Canada. We were cycling only the West part and when I was complaining (and I did it a lot) about the food, the mentality… I always heard – “yes, but further East it’s different!” Hmm… what should I say…

Maybe he learned a couple of things about touring bikes. What kind of racks you have to use… how difficult it is to get bloody 700c tires in Canada/USA, that its needed to have spare spokes in different lengths and if you have only water resistant (not waterproof!) panniers you have to use also Zip Lock bags (for e.g. the passport).

As we separated I got a gift, a water bottle which was filled quite often with Gatorate – he liked it – I hate it! Now, after more than 1000 km of carrying this bottle in my bags and lots of cleaning I use it… carefully, only for rice/spaghetti cooking water. Ok, I’m in Nevada – the driest state of the US, so thanks! It’s still in use!Nevertheless there is one good thing: I have now a full thermos of black tea in the morning or evening for myself!